The Tape
by ReddistheRose
Summary: What if Jimmy were to discover the Tape from My Big Fat Spy Wedding...unedited? Find out! Chapter 2 is up! Lots and Lots of JC fluff...
1. Chapter 1

AN:HA! I **FINALLY** got tosee "MyBig FatSpy Wedding" HA! One of myfaves now. Heehee, especially when Cindy spots Jimmy in his tux...(Fangirl giggle/squeel)

Anyway, I got to wondering, what would have happened if Cindy _hadn't_ erased the tape? And Jimmy saw it? (more giggles) So, I had to write this. I hope you like it! Please review! This may or may not be a oneshot...

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**The Tape:**

Drinks in hand, Jimmy smiled at his friends, as he plopped down on the _Couch In a Can_. He passed out the purple flurps to Sheen and Carl, who gave him the bag of popcorn.

"I can't believe we never watched this tape!" Jimmy said. "This is going to be so _cool_!

"Yeah, too bad you lost it." Sheen said.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't my fault the girl-eating plant ate it- it smelled like Cindy."

"Why did it take so long to get it back, anyway?"

"…it has a very long digestive cycle…especially for plastic." Jimmy lamented. "I'm actually surprised it only took 8 years!"

"Hey, Jim," Interrupted Carl, looking at a piece of popcorn, "How come popcorn comes all buttery and stuff, but corn from the can doesn't?" Jimmy opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Sheen.

"DUH, Carl!" Sheen said, eyeing another piece in turn, "It's because there's no room! The corn juice fills up the can!" He popped the piece in his mouth.

"Ooooh." Said Carl, satisfied. Jimmy decided to let it pass with a roll of his eyes.

"Ready to watch the tape?" He asked, remote in hand.

"Yea!" Said Sheen, enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see all of us singing, and dancing, and-" Carl said, dreamy look in his eye at the memory.

Sheen's eye twitched. "Uh-huh, yeah. Jimmy, let's just skip to the part where my cuddle-Queen starts _her _act!"

Jimmy laughed. "All in good time, Sheen. I can't wait to see your entrance! You guys really saved the day!" He started the tape, and the camera began sweeping the wedding guest crowd, Cindy narrating.

"Oh, there's Cap'n Betty," The headless voice said distractedly. "And my…mom." The camera continued to pan the room, taking in the assorted friends, family, and spy people. "and there's Betty Quinlan. Looking _perfect_, as _usual_." Cindy's voice said, icily.

Jimmy raised an eyebrow. He never knew Cindy harbored animosity toward Betty. _How interesting, _he thought.

"I wonder why Cindy didn't like Betty?" He said aloud, as Cindy continued to narrate the arrival of different guests. He popped a piece of popcorn in his mouth as he looked at the screen thoughtfully.

Sheen looked at Jimmy with an eerie smile. "_If you don't know, Jimmy,_" He whispered to himself, "_I'm not going to tell you."_

Carl leaned over to Sheen. "Sheen," He whispered, as the tape went on, "What are you mumbling about?"

"Nothin'." Sheen rolled his eyes. _"And they think I'm the oblivious one!" _He thought to himself, smugly.

"And there's Neutron." Cindy's voice said now, barely a whisper. "I can't believe it! He looks so _handsome_!" she said, wistfully, giving a little sigh.

Jimmy, about to take a drink from his purple flurp, choked. "Cough-Cough! WHEEZE!"

"Jimmy?" Sheen asked, patting his friend on the back a bit too harshly, "Are you okay, man?"

Carl's mouth was open. "Wow, Jimmy, Cindy complimented you!"

Jimmy paused the tape with one hand while the other stopped Sheen from beating him to death.

"I'm…cough, okay, Sheen! Sheen, _stop_!"

Sheen, hand lifted just in case, smiled. "You sure, Jimmy? You look purple."

"Did she…" Jimmy asked, pointing at the TV.

"Yep." Sheen nodded.

There was a pause, a life defining, moment making pause. Then, Carl began to sing.

"Jimmy's a spy! He's really cool! He's got a girlfriend!…They used go to school….in Retroville! Where Judy lives!…"

"Carl!" Sheen said, slapping him. "Control yourself!"

"Ow, Sheen, that hurt!"

"That was for your own good."

Carl looked at him.

"Okay, for _my _own good. Same difference." Sheen said, with a shrug.

While Carl and Sheen worked out their differences, Jimmy continued to look at the screen. Pressing play once more, he watched as his friends argued, oblivious.

"_Oh no!" _Cindy said, desperately. "That's going to be on the _tape_!" There was a shuffling noise. "Wait, everyone!" She said, louder now. "I just need to rewind the tape!" She continued, with a nervous laugh.

Suddenly, the screen went blank. Jimmy scooted to the end of his seat. But he could still hear voices! "_She must have only pressed the fade button!" _He realized.

"HEY! YOU LEAVE LLAMAS OUT OF THIS!" Carl exclaimed while pointing at Sheen, breaking Jimmy's train of thought momentarily.

Jimmy paused the tape once more and turned to his friends. "What's-"

"Sheen started it!"

"Did NOT!"

"Yeah-huh!"

Jimmy rolled his eyes once more with a smile. "What is this _about_?"

Carl and Sheen looked at him…Sheen began to scratch his head while Carl looked down sheepishly.

"Huh. I have no idea, Jimmy." Sheen said calmly, and he returned to sitting on the couch.

Jimmy shook his head. "You guys are one of the only things I'll never understand."

"Yeah. Like girls." Sheen said, matter-of-factly.

"That's for sure. What did Cindy mean? Why was she so embarrassed?"

Sheen rolled his eyes, but didn't respond. Carl, having given this a lot of thought by now, began to smile. "Cindy _likes _you, Jimmy!"

Jimmy rolled his eyes, trying to look apathetic. "That's impossible."

"But she said you're handsome." Carl argued.

"So? Just because I look good in a tux-" Jimmy protested.

"And then she was embarrassed to let anyone hear it!" Carl reminded him.

"Well maybe she just-" Jimmy was about to suggest.

"And she hates Betty Quinlan." Sheen interrupted.

"…So?" Jimmy said, not wanting to know the answer.

Sheen raised an eyebrow. "Jimmy," He said, patting his friend on the back a bit more softly, "you may be some kinda big-taco genius, but you know _nothing _about girls."

Jimmy raised an eyebrow in response as Sheen continued.

"Think about it, man. Why does Cindy always tease you? And argue with you?"

"Because we're mortal enemies?"

"Because she likes you!" Sheen declared, frustrated. "Man, Jimmy, it _is _possible for you to be dumb!"

"But that's completely illogical!" Jimmy said, defensively. "_Or is it?" _A little voice in the back of his head asked.

Sheen grabbed the remote and started the tape once more after giving up with a shrug. If Jimmy wanted to ignore the obvious, he could go ahead- but _Sheen _had, at least, learned something about girls from Libby by now. He knew he was right.

Carl looked at his hands. "_Why do people have 10 fingers?" _He wondered. He wanted to ask, but Jimmy was lost in Neutronic thought.

Jimmy carried on his own conversation with himself as his friends ignored him.

"_What do I mean, 'or is it'? _

Think about it! What if Sheen is right? What if Cindy's animosity toward me was all an elaborate facade designed to hide her feelings?

Nah. Couldn't be.

Could it?

I mean, I know she can be nice to me. That time on the island…but ever since then, not much has changed. We're a little more civil, but…"

Suddenly, he was struck with another thought. The sound of singing from the tape was distant now, as he sorted through his thoughts.

"And how would I feel if she did like me?"

He paused. For once, he was without an answer.

"I mean, what would I do if she did? If she were nice to me all the time…

I think…I would…like it.

NO!

I DO NOT LIKE CINDY!

…do I?

I mean, why do I always argue with her? I never really thought about it- it just happened. I wish we didn't, though. Well, not so much, anyway. It's kind of fun sometimes."

He smiled to himself.

"Does this even make sense? What am I saying? This is Cindy Vortex! My arch-rival!

I like Betty, not-"

He stopped, realizing his words. He stole a glance at Sheen, lost in the magnetism of his girlfriend on tape.

"Sheen was right- that's why Cindy hates Betty!

Cindy is…jealous? A girl is jealous over me? When did this happen? Why didn't I see it?

…do I like it?

…."

His smile grew.

"I think I do! Holy gas planets, I'm really enjoying this idea! Cindy is jealous over me. She likes me!

Cindy. Wow.

I mean, why did I never think about this before? I mean, sure, she's pretty, and smart, and what a contender! But, I never thought-

…Yes I did. What else could I think whenever we came close to-"

He stopped, surprised at himself for the blush coming over his face.

"She liked me! It wasn't some creepy 'magic moment' that she got over fast- she really did like me! I never thought she would. Maybe that's why I stopped myself from- ……from what? Liking her too?

…I did anyway," He finally admitted to himself.

Now what?" He asked himself. "_She likes me, and I know it…but she doesn't know that I know…or that I like her, too."_

He asked himself. " 

He gulped.

"What if she doesn't really like me? Just because she liked my suit-

But it sure makes more sense.

So what should I do? Tell her? Wait for her to tell me? What if I'm wrong? I could make a big fat dummy out of myself!"

Sheen's voice finally pierced his thoughts.

"Jimmy? Jimmy!"

"Huh-what?"

"The movie is over. Twice."

"Oh." He said, sheepishly.

Carl smiled. "What were you thinking about, Jimmy? You looked all dreamy and stuff."

"Cindy, of course." Sheen said.

"Sheen, I wasn't-"

Sheen sighed. "Look. I may have gotten held back- ONLY TWICE- but wasn't born yesterday in a barn in southeast Norway."

Jimmy raised an eyebrow.

"Cindy likes you and you like her."

Carl gasped. "He _does_? She _does_?"

"AND!" Sheen said, annoyed at Carl's interruption, "I have known this since you were 10!"

"But I didn't even-"

"Yes you did."

"No I-"

"Yes you did."

"Sheen! I-"

"Yes you did."

Jimmy paused. "Sheen," He said, slowly, "I did not-"

Sheen leaned in closer and took on an eerie voice.

"Search your feelings, Jimmy…_You know it to be so_!"

Jimmy looked at Sheen with amazement. "_He's right,"_ went the little voice again. "_Oh, shut up, already!" _He told himself.

"How do _you _know?"

"Because it's obvious."

"No it's-"

"Yes it is."

"Sheen-"

"Yes it is."

"ARGGGG!" Jimmy proclaimed. "Fine! I like Cindy! Are you happy now? I've liked her since the Yolkian attack when she talked to me in the cell and was really nice and then we saved our parents and when we got back to Earth I wanted to tell her how I thought she was really cool out there, but then she was all mean again so I thought I should forget her, but deep down I thought she was really smart and really pretty and I wish I would have kissed her and not April!"

Sheen and Carl looked at Jimmy, mouths on the floor.

"Wow," Sheen said, breaking the silence, "you sang like a caged canary, Jimmy."

"Yeah, well."

"Huh. I was actually right?" Sheen asked, confused.

"WHAT?"

"Hey, I was just guessing. You've really liked her since you were 10?"

"But, but-"

Carl smiled at Jimmy. "Wow, Jim, you never told us you liked a girl!"

"YEAH!" Sheen demanded, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I thought you said you knew!"

Sheen smiled. "Nah, I was just messing with you, I didn't think you really liked her."

"So you don't really think she likes me?" Jimmy asked, sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Oh- no, she likes you."

"Right." Jimmy said, unbelievingly.

"She does!" Sheen said. "Just ask her!"

"I can't just go up to a girl and ask her!"

"Why not? Just hypno-beam her later if you want, and make her forget."

Jimmy paused for a moment, then shook his head decisively. "No, Sheen, I couldn't do that- I should only use the hypno-beam on villains and stuff- it's not ethical to use it on an innocent person whenever you feel like it."

"….oh. Heh-heh."

"Sheen! What's that guilty look for?"

"NOTHING!" Sheen proclaimed, unconvincingly.

"Sheen-" Jimmy warned.

"Okay, okay. I used it once on Miss Fowl to get her to get us that field trip to Ultra-Land."

"I thought an all-expense paid school trip to Ultra-Land was a bit suspicious. Sheen!"

"What? It was for the good of all! Besides, that was soooo long ago…" He said, with a nervous laugh.

"I got to pet a llama." Carl reminded them, dutifully.

"Fine, whatever, just don't do it again, okay?"

"Sure, sure!" Sheen said, a little too soothingly. "Annnyway, why don't you just tell Cindy you like her?"

"No way."

"You're scared, aren't you?"

"You bet. This is CINDY VORTEX we're talking about, here. She might punch my lights out."

"She couldn't."

"She could."

"She wont!"

"She might!"

"Look, Jimmy, I know about girls. Trust me, she likes you. Besides, look at me and Libby. It took a while, but she came around. And you know what?" Sheen asked, grabbing his book bag on the way out.

"What?" Jimmy said, watching his friends head for the door.

"It's better to try and fail, then not try…and wonder. Think about it, man. Later."

"See you, Jimmy."

"Bye, guys." Jimmy said, defeated. He looked at the screen, paused once more. There was Betty, frozen on screen.

"Some genius I am…Why do girls have to be so confusing?"

He went to the VCR and took out the tape.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **YES! Reviews! Yay! Hee-hee, aparentlyI wasn't the only one who wondered what would happen if Jimmy were to see the _unedited_ version of the "My Big Fat Spy Wedding" tape. Truly, one of the** best eps ever**, IMHO.

Anyway, this chapter is mostly piontless J/C fluff...yay! (I am _such_ a fangirl!) I hope you like it! I'm a little disappointed that out of over a hundred hits, I only got 6 reviews. That makes me paronoid, I.E.: "They read it, and they hate it! That's why they didn't review!" (heh, guilt, guilt, guilt, hint, hint, hint!)

Please ease a tortured mind and leave a little review for moi! Thanks!

**CindyVortex9; Elynsynos 18:** Your wish is my command! Chapter two awaits!

**Phantomhobbitses; pokey:** Thank you!

**Matt:** Heh, I didn't think of that! Libby needs to hear the bright side of Sheen, eh!

**ignite444:** Thank you! And, yes, Jimmy and the gang are all about 18, except Sheen, of course, who is 20 (He was held back.)

_Discliamer: I don't own Jimmy...but if I did there would be a heck of a lot more JCness, I assure you!_

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**Chapter 2**

Cindy ran the brush through her hair, tugging it softly into place. Sighing at her reflection, she put the brush on the dresser. She couldn't forget the memory that played in her mind...

"Dearest friends- family- faculty. As we, the students of Retroville High, journey into the next hereto unknown fraction of our lives, we stop here today to gaze upon the past- what we have accomplished…what we have gained and lost in our quest for knowledge."

...The words played in her head as she reached for her makeup bag...

"Where will time take us? To distant galaxies? To the deepest depths of the ocean? Or to our own backyards, the very place we call home? Shall we change the whole world? Or change one heart?…"

...It could have been _her _speech, she mused. Before _he _came along, she was top of the class…but there had been no catching up lately…with every passing year, he passed her by in all of their classes. The honored privilege of valedictorian was to be his- and she had seen it coming.

Her mother hadn't. What a rage she had flown into when she had heard the news!

"Jimmy Neutron?" She had screamed, in frustration, _"That pointy haired loser? You lost to him?" _

"He's a genius, mom!" Cindy had reminded her unstable parent, softly.

She had screamed, in frustration, Cindy had reminded her unstable parent, softly. 

"_So? We Vortexes don't lose to snot-nosed little boys!" _

"But he's no little boy," Cindy had wanted to say. _"Not anymore." _But she hadkept quiet. Her mother could never know how she felt about that '_pointy haired loser_.' No one could.

...She respected him. It had taken a long time to identify this feeling, but over the years, it had grown. Out of the early days of that schoolgirl crush, something more lasting had taken place. She saw him in a new light now, the kind, smart, handsome man he was going to be one day.

Or was now.

Sure, she still felt butterflies when he was near. But, she wasn't blinded to his mistakes or flaws…she simply loved him all the more for them.

"Love. Has it really come to that?" She asked herself now, frowning at her reflection. She smiled suddenly. She knew it had, even if she never told anyone, _especially_ him.

Ding, the doorbell chimed, and she glanced at the clock.

"Either Libby is an hour early," She mumbled, "or mom ordered Chinese." She waited for her mother to answer, but the doorbell chimed again. With a weary sigh, she opened her bedroom door. _"Good thing I finished my makeup," _she thought, _"Or I'd have to answer the door with half a face." _

She bounced down the stairs, holding her dress up to keep it out of the way of her feet. _"What a night for a dance!" _She thought as she reached the hallway. _"I can't believe Libby talked me into this- I won't know anyone there but her and Sheen! They just had to go to the Ultra-Lord fan dance. What I want to know is why it has to be so darn formal-"_

Her thoughts were cut off when she opened the door- and there he was. Jimmy Neutron was on her front step at 6:23 Friday night, with her in an evening gown. He tried to open his mouth and talk, but only half of this process worked.

"Well," She said finally, trying to keep her insides from jumping to the outside, "Are you just going to stand there gaping? What do you _want_?"

He closed his mouth, and tried again. "You…ah…you look nice, Vor- er, Cindy."

She raised an eyebrow, ignoring the voice in her head. "_He complimented me! YES!"_

"Um, do you…can we talk?" He managed.

She hefted a sigh. "I'm busy right now." _"No I'm not!" _Went the little voice again._ "Ask me again! I'll say yes! Don't give up, I didn't mean it!"_

"Oh. Right." He said, rubbing his neck. His eyes kept a distance from hers. "Maybe anther time, I guess. I'll just-"

She sighed again. Opening the door a little wider, she stepped out. "Make it quick." _"Stay forever!" _The voice contradicted.

He gave a her smile as she hoped up onto the porch rail. Swinging her legs, she waited. _"What does he want? Why is he acting so nervous? I hope he really does like my dress…" _

"Well, I'm going to ask you something that is very, very weird."

"Wow, what a surprise." She couldn't help saying, sarcastically. Though she had tried to be nicer to him, old habits die hard, and she still defended her heart with a barb-wire mouth.

He shrugged. "I don't know how you're going to react."

"Just spit it out."

He took a breath. "...Do you like me?" He asked, looking at the floor.

Her heart bottomed out. "…Excuse me?" She said, voice cracking, attempting desperately to sound indifferent.

"Do you like me, Cindy?" He said, and brought his eyes up to meet hers. _"Those eyes!"_ She said to herself, dreamily. Always her biggest weakness, they made her melt every time.

"Er- Well, sure, you're a nice guy, I guess. ...I like you well enough,...even if you do bug me all the time." She said, neutrally.

"No," He continued, stepping closer. "Do you _like _me?"

She looked away. "I don't know what you mean..." She broke off. Why was he asking this? Did he know? _"Please, please just go away!"_ She commanded him in her mind, while at the same timethe voice in her head argued with itself."_YES! YES! I love you! I've always loved you!" _

"Yes you do." He said, and she took a moment to remember he was answering her words, not her thoughts.

"…" There were no words. What could she say? _"Should I tell him?"_ She asked herself. _"All these years of hiding what I feel have come to this? What if he laughs? Why does he want to know?" _"Why are you doing this?" She asked, trying to keep her tone icy. "Why the interest in my feelings all of a sudden?"

"…Cindy," He said, still holding her eyes with his steady gaze, "I saw the tape today." His heart was beating rapidly, although his features were unreadable.

"Tape?" This time, she really didn't know what he meant.

He laughed uncertainly. "Don't you remember? The Jet and Beautiful wedding all those years ago? You thought you rewound it, but you only pressed the fade button. You gave me the tape, and I never got to watch it until today."

She reached into her memories…and couldn't stop a blush from spreading all over her face. "I- uh-" She said, trying to find something to say as she recalled her words that day. "…I don't remember."

"Yes you do. Remember, I was in my tux...that you liked?" He said, with a teasing tone.

She shot him a glare, meant for herself. For her own stupidity. _"Why didn't I press the right button? Why? Now he knows! He thinks it's funny!" _

"Cindy, I-" He began, but she cut him short.

"Fine!" She said fire in her eyes, "I admit it. I used to have a crush on you- a LITTLE one, when I was younger. Go ahead and laugh! Is that why you came? To humiliate me? Congratulations! Another mystery of the universe solved by the great James Neutron- you have me all figured out, don't you?"

"No," He answered softly, "I don't think I ever could." He turned away from her, gathering his courage.

"Darn right!" She proclaimed, allowing her anger to force away her true feelings. Anger was safe- anger was familiar.

"…But I'd like to try." He said, turning suddenly and coming closer than before. "I want to know you- the _real _you. All those days we spend together on the island- do you remember that? Even during the Yolkian attack, when you were nice to me…why? I used to think it was just a passing moment…now I wonder."

She was caught in his gaze now, unable to answer as he continued.

"Maybe it was more than that. Maybe you felt more. What are you _hiding_ under all that anger, Vortex?"

"Ha! What are you hiding under your huge hair!" The stinging reply came, unbidden, to her mind. _"That's exactly the kind of thing that brought me here." _she told herself. _"Every time I could have built a friendship, I just dish out a mean reply..." _She kept her mouth shut, waiting as he ran a hand through his hair.

The stinging reply came, unbidden, to her mind. she told herself. She kept her mouth shut, waiting as he ran a hand through his hair. 

"I mean, you said you liked me once- maybe that was just a little crush….maybe you put it behind you. But, see, the thing is-" He took a breath. He knew he was about to dive into waters too murky to foresee. "I liked you, too."

"Did he just say-" She wondered to herself, as her heart leaped.

"I _always _did. The truth is…I _still _do. I didn't always know it…but it's becoming more and more clear to me. You're so…beautifully… you." She looked at him in amazement as the import of his words sank into her mind. She was barely able to register the blush that had taken him over as she caught her breath.

"You mean you-"

He smiled, warm but embarrassed. _"Say something!" _He begged her silently. "_Say anything!" _

Slowly, a smile crept over her own features. "You really like me?" She asked, and he was pleasantly surprised to note the shy, delicate nature of her voice. She was finally letting him in! He knew- this was her, not her façade.

"Yes, I do. You're strong and kind…well, sometimes," he revised, with a grin that matched her own. "and I know- well, I guess I always knew- even if you and I pretended to hate each other, you'd still be there if I needed you."

She smiled downward, not knowing what to say.

Finally, she slid off the railing, and stood next to him. "I was always jealous of you." She began, with a timid smile. "I was mad that you were better than me. But, after a while, I fed off competing with you. I loved to argue with you- I got such a rush…but after a while, just _seeing_ you gave me a rush." She paused. "I feel silly, telling you this."

"Don't," He said, taking her hand. "Don't stop. Tell me."

"He's holding my hand!" Her voice screamed in her head. _"YES!" _She looked down, and confirmed what the tingling feeling in her hand had told her. She smiled at him once more.

Her voice screamed in her head. She looked down, and confirmed what the tingling feeling in her hand had told her. She smiled at him once more. 

"I started liking you a long time ago…but all those years of fighting and jealousy…I was sure you hated me."

He laughed. "That's how I felt, too. I was so…intrigued by you! You were a real challenge- you kept me on my toes. But I was sure you hated me…to tell you the truth, I was a bit mad at myself."

"I know what you mean- I couldn't seem to stop myself from saying something mean to you at every chance- when all I really wanted was to be your friend. I can't believe," she said, shaking her head, "All the time we spent denying this. Now that it's in the open, it's so…so…"

"Obviously perfect?" He suggested, and she nodded. "I know. And all those times we came so close to kissing…" His voice wandered off and she smiled wide at him.

"I was such a heap of giggles when I thought about that." She admitted. "Not that I would ever tell you that."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah," she said with a blush. "Jimmy…I really do think you're handsome. You're…" She took in a breath of the night air. "You're just what I wanted…and what I didn't know I needed. Does that make sense?"

He smiled. "Perfectly logical to me." He said, and without another word, he leaned toward her. She could feel him getting closer as she closed her eyes…

"Cindy? Jimmy?" The voice from the porch stairs caught them off guard, and they broke away at the last second.

"Eh…hi, Libby!" Jimmy said, red faced and flustered.

Cindy could only wave and smile distractedly as Libby raised an eyebrow with a mischievous smile.

"Am I…_interrupting _something?"

"No!" Cindy said, unconvincingly. "Not at all- er, Jimmy and I were just, um-"

"Yeah," Jimmy agreed, to nothing. "We were… uh-"

"Er…" Cindy couldn't manage to think of a thing. _"Come on, come on!" _She commanded herself. "…Jimmy was just leaving." She finished, defeated. "Right?" She asked Jimmy, poking him in the ribs.

"Oh, yeah," He said, with a fake grin. "Er, see you around, Libby."

But as soon as he took a step, Libby began to laugh. "You guys look like kids caught in the cookie jar! What's going on? Come on, out with it." Cindy couldn't control the blush that matched her to Jimmy. She just couldn't hide from her best friend.

Libby grinned at them. "Wait, let me guess. You _finally _told each other you like each other?"

"What do you mean, '_finally'_?" Cindy asked, in amazement.

"Oh, come _on_," Said Libby, with a wave of her hand, "everybody's known you two were diggin' on each other since you were little kids!"

"But- but-" Was all Jimmy could manage.

"Sheen and me even had a running bet who would crack first."

Cindy's mouth hung open. "Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

"We _thought_ you two would figure it out on your own. We were right…but it sure took you long enough! Come on, let's go, girl, you'll have plenty of time to make goo-goo eyes at each other later."

"I don't believe you never told me!" Cindy said, as she glowered at Libby…but she was unable to keep it up for long.

With a wiggle of her eyebrows, Libby reduced her friend to a smile. "You got a lot of explaining to do!" Libby said, laughing with Cindy.

Jimmy looked confused. "I'll never understand girls." He admitted, with a smile, as Cindy began to walk out to Sheen's waiting car with Libby.

"That's okay, Neutron," Cindy said, as she passed him, dangerously close. "You don't have to understand _everything_."

He watched her for a moment, smiling to himself. For once, he didn't mind leaving some questions unanswered…if he had his way, he would have plenty of time to solve the greatest puzzle of his life- Cindy.

But,a moment later, Cindy paused. Running back up to the porch where he still stood, she smiled precariously. "You know, Jimmy," She said, "the dance doesn't start for another half-hour…that's plenty of time to change…and I don't have a date." She blinked up at him, sweet and saucy.

He gave her a dashing smile. "I'm sure I can find a…tux…somewhere around."

She winked at him, laughing. "We'll wait."

"Be back in five." He promised.

As he ran across the street, she watched him go. "_I can finally be me!" _Her heart sang. "_I don't have to hide anymore!" _And as she walked over to the car to wait for Jimmy, she stole a glance at her best friend who grinned. "_This is going to change everything"…_she admitted to herself.

She grinned as she felt the memory of him drawing closer just moments ago.

"_…and it's about time." _


End file.
